Choppy audio over HDMI/optical on a new Sherwood receiver

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Choppy audio over HDMI/optical on a new Sherwood receiver

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#144085 7-May-2014 10:03

I just picked up a Sherwood RD-6506 as part of a slightly upgraded setup. But I'm having problems getting the digital inputs to play nice.

I have hooked up the Amazon Fire TV via HDMI to Video 1, and from the Monitor to HDMI 2 on the TV.

What I get is very choppy audio - it cuts out for a second, comes back for about .5 of a second.

This also happens when connecting via optical input, although I can get optical to work when the CD input is selected.

I have ruled out the following as sources of the chop:

- The Fire TV - plays fine when plugged directly into the TV via HDMI

- The HDMI cable(s) - I have used three different cables in all six different potential configurations. All work fine Fire TV - TV, but error remains in all Fire TV - Receiver - TV configurations.

- The TV I can connect via analogue and optical out to the CD input ok, and the TV speakers also play via HDMI from the Fire TV fine.

Not sure if I am missing a setting? The manual is not helpful, nor is google.

It would be great to get this working in order to get DTS working and reduce some cables.

Thanks!

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#1038174 7-May-2014 10:40

Do you have a DVD/Blu-ray with HDMI that you can try and hook up?
If I have read your post correctly you are saying no HDMI connected devices will play audio properly - is that right?

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038176 7-May-2014 10:44

No unfortunately, I only have the Fire TV in hand that I can use to test. I own an Apple TV but it's on loan. I'll try and get it back asap.

But as I say I think I have eliminated the Fire TV as the source of the chop because it plays fine when directly connected to the TV via HDMI.

But yes, the conclusion I have come to (with this limited sample) is that no HDMI device can play audio through the receiver properly.

robjg63

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#1038184 7-May-2014 10:56

I found a manual:
http://www.sherwood-av.com.au/wp-content/uploads/manuals/Sherwood-RD-6506-Manual.pdf
Page 42 has a bit about HDMI audio out - Seems a bit confusing, but....
Looks like it should be set to "AMP" - so the audio only comes through the speakers on the amp.
You could try "THRU" and see if the sounds come through the TV speakers ok.

I see it also has a note at the bottom of the page about "HDMI Control".
OFF : Not to use the HDMI CONTROL function.
Might be best to ensure this is switched off while you are testing just in case its screwing things up

Without trying another HDMI device it might make you suspect there is a fault perhaps?

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038194 7-May-2014 11:16

Yes all those settings seem to be correct - AMP is set - and seems to be the source of the chop, when set to THRU the sound is fine.

So you'd expect it was a fault?

robjg63

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#1038214 7-May-2014 11:33

socollins: Yes all those settings seem to be correct - AMP is set - and seems to be the source of the chop, when set to THRU the sound is fine.

So you'd expect it was a fault?

It doesnt seem that you have done anything particularly wrong.
Might still be good to try hooking up another HDMI device just to rule out the Amazon Fire TV not playing with your amp. Cant find any audio issues reported for the Fire TV on google - so presumably its normally ok.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038231 7-May-2014 11:38

Cool, thanks man. I'll go check in with the retailer as well.

I really appreciate your insight.

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038436 7-May-2014 15:47

So I put my non-idiot hat on and realised I could hook my laptop up via HDMI. Now here's the twist - it plays fine(!) So while both the Fire TV and the receiver are fine, they aren't playing nice. There's something afoot but no-one else seems to have this issue with the Fire TV.

Frustrating to say the least but good to have narrowed the issue down to software on either end of the HDMI

trig42

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#1038449 7-May-2014 16:25

Are there any settings you can change in the FireTV? Is it set to 1080p or something (that the receiver may not be able to handle?)

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038458 7-May-2014 16:38

That's a good question - it was set at 1080p/60hz. So I dropped it to 720p/50hz (lowest on the Fire TV) and still got the same chop.

Which I'm kind of glad about, It would be a Sophie's choice - better sound or better image quality!

robjg63

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#1038484 7-May-2014 17:07

Are there any settings in the audio out on the fire TV that you can change?
It has optical audio out - did you say you tried that - cant recall.

I cant see in the manual that you can make any changes to the audio output settings - Some media player let you set a certain mode that your receiver may require.
Other media player sometimes have a setting called passthrough (sounds like this is what the fire tv has), basically whatever the media says it is just pass to the receiver to decode. What sort of media are you trying to play - Can you try media from a different source?

Sounds dumb... But have you tried switching the amp and firevtv off and on again- at the wall

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038489 7-May-2014 17:35

Yeah you can change the Dolby Digital Plus to on/off or over HDMI/Optical. However I've changed each of those options and get the same problem.

In terms of media I am mostly playing .mkv's via the plex app for the Fire TV. But even the Fire TV intro video had choppy audio.

I can't see any way to change passthrough settings, unless maybe I change my plex server to transcode audio...

But if it was the passthrough you'd get hundred (if not thousands) of plex/fire tv users talking about his issue. It seems to be isolated to one house in central wellington...

Are you as frustrated as I am by now rob? You must be getting close...

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038490 7-May-2014 17:36

oh and amp/firetv on/off - so many times. so many combinations of reset...

robjg63

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#1038557 7-May-2014 19:34

Perhaps try a post under the fire tv thread. See if anyone else has had problems with connecting to an amp.
Do you know anyone else with a home theatre amp you can try and connect to.
I guess its a matter of working out which device the problem lies with.

I have a fire tv on order myself, but probably at least a couple weeks away.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

socollins

14 posts

Geek

#1038559 7-May-2014 19:38

yeah that's a good idea. I'll post over there.

The fire tv is awesome otherwise - I'm really happy with it in every other way.

I'll try and track down another HDMI receiver I guess.

Dunnersfella

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#1038684 7-May-2014 23:02

Sherwood? People are still buying those? Cheap / good... pick one.
Take it back, try something else...
My $0.02.

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